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I don't think it's quite that simple: the children were forced, by her actions, to live in an erratic, discord-riven environment, because she chose to bring about that situation...

Once the husband chose to tell her he fell out of love and was acting cold towards the family, then it was HE who created the situation. She could've played into his game, but the children still would've been negatively impacted by an aloof and uncaring father. She gambled, assuming that the choice she was making was the lesser of two evils and would be better for the kids in the long run...and she was right!

I liked the story. It's a wonderful story. But it's not aikido off the mat.

Perhaps if someone from this forum were to act in this way, they might be driven by aikido principles, and then you could call it aikido off the mat. But the author makes no mention of aikido. Instead, she has several references in there to Buddhist concepts using Buddhist terminology, although she doesn't use the B-word either.

Aikido did not create harmony in the universe. Aikido does not own the patent on harmonious action or resolution of conflict. If aikido is your vehicle to seeing "the third way", then call it aikido off the mat -- for you.